GRAHAM, Washington -- Entering its ninth season, the Northwest-based ARCA West Circle K Late Model Challenge Series is busy preparing for its season opener on May 3rd at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval. With a solid track record of delivering highly competitive events showcasing the Northwest’s top Late Model drivers and teams, the series plans to move forward in 2008 focusing on providing an exciting, competitive racing program for the drivers, race teams, sponsors, track owners and spectators alike. Stirring up the excitement early is a $2000.00 winner’s check sponsored by Bay Cities Motorsports which boosts the total event payout to over $14,500.00.
A full field of the region’s best Late Model Super Stock teams is expected to compete for top honors on one of the Northwest’s most pristine 1/4-mile tracks. This season-opener race, dubbed the ‘Apple Blossom 125’, is tied in with Wenatchee’s annual Apple Blossom Festival and is again expected to draw a large crowd to witness WVSO’s first large-caliber stock car event of the 2008 season. This event is the 81st scheduled race in the series’ nine-season history, and will be the first of five appearances for the ARCA West Circle K Late Model Challenge Series (AW LMCS) at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval (WVSO).
The expected driver roster includes AW LMCS 2007 champion Gary Lewis, in addition to series’ regulars Brent Harris, Erick Hargraves, Wes Rhodes, Shelby Thompson, Christian Roeder, Mark Sundberg, Don Vickery, Mike Kenyon, Josh Roberts, Todd Walters and Marty Wason. Jason Jefferson, BJ Tidrick and Mike Longton are also expected. Several Canadian teams are attempting: Wade Bland, Mark Berriau, and Paul Butkus. 2008 AW LMCS Port City Racecars ‘Rookie Challengers’ entrants include Dan Rhodes, Jared Vorse, and Chris Walters. All-in-all, this event is primed to be one of the most exciting Late Model season-openers in the region.
In addition to the five scheduled appearances at WVSO, the series has three travel events with two races in Montana and a BC Canada race. Race #2 on the schedule is a special event at Mission Valley Speedway in Polson, MT over Memorial Day weekend. This 2-day event could potentially be one of the series’ largest races ever, as the facility is posting a record $50,000.00 payout with a $10,000.00 winner’s check. The series will also be visiting the fabulous Sun Valley Speedway in Vernon, BC and racer’s favorite Montana Raceway Park in Kalispell, MT.
Earlier this year, officials from ARCA West, an extension of the ARCA racing family, announced that Mac’s Convenience Stores / Circle K Stores will serve as series title sponsor for ARCA West’s U.S. series and the newly-acquired Canadian series in 2008. The U.S. series will run under the Circle K brand, and the Canadian series will be under the Mac’s brand. If all goes as planned, it is expected in the future both tours will offer stand alone events in their respective regions, in addition to a number of special companion events
In eight seasons, the series has crowned seven different champions: 2007 Gary Lewis, 2006 Troy Conrad, 2005 Mike Zamora, 2004 Ron Wolf, 2003 Jason Hedrick, 2002 Ron Oline, 2001 Mike Sauls, 2000 Ron Wolf. Past Rookies-of-the-Year include: Erick Hardgraves, Shelby Thompson, Mike Zamora, Loran Payne, Jay Sauls, Josh Braudway, Jason Hedrick and Loren Sutphin. Nearly 250 Northwest LM teams have participated in the program since its inception in 2000.
For more information on the ARCA West Circle K Late Model Challenge Series, contact Jerry Losch at 253.312.1080 or visit LateModelChallenge.com. Contact ARCA West main office at 209.649.0439
